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Budget Session: HP to implement mental health policy, says minister
Congress MLA Bhawani Singh Pathania brought a private members resolution on mental health and health minister Dhani Ram Shandil announced the government’s commitment to implement stricter mental health measures
The Himachal Pradesh government has assured to bolster its mental health policies to address the increasing prevalence of stress and drug addiction in the state.
Congress MLA Bhawani Singh Pathania brought a private members resolution on mental health and health minister Dhani Ram Shandil announced the government’s commitment to implement stricter mental health measures. Pathania subsequently withdrew his resolution following the minister’s assurances.
The health minister said that the government would appoint psychiatrists and counsellors in all 69 model health institutions of the state. He said that the Mental Health Hospital at Tanda Medical College would be strengthened and attributed the problem of mental stress and drug abuse to the modern lifestyle.
Pointing towards modern lifestyle factors for the surge in mental stress and substance abuse cases, Shandil highlighted the need for preventive measures.
Chief minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu had announced to opening of modern de-addiction centres on International de-addiction day and efforts have been stated in this direction, he said, adding that a meeting of deputy commissioners was held under the chairmanship of secretary health in this regard and directions were issued to identify 30 to 40 bigha suitable lands for the centres in all districts.
Shandil said that the model de-addiction centres would have a capacity of 200 to 300 beds and these centres would be opened in all districts under the “drugs free India” campaign of the Union government.
He said that increasing competition was also the cause of the rise in the number of patients with mental health issues and the state government was working in tandem with the Union government to improve mental health and strengthen the health infrastructure.
Moving the resolution, Pathania said that strong infrastructure should be built for people with mental health issues as about 15 lakh persons were mentally disturbed and suicides among students are on the rise.
Due to competition, the youth is more affected by mental problems but they don’t talk about their problems as it is considered a stigma in the society, he said. He raised the demand for the appointment of psychiatrists in every civil hospital. Pathania said that 20% population might be facing issues related to mental health due to work pressure.
MLAs Hans Raj, Janak Raj, Hoshiyar Singh, Vinod Sultanpuri and Vipin Parmar also spoke on the resolution.
